This invention relates to an apparatus for pocketing documents, like checks, in a pocket of a business machine.
One of the problems with processing documents, like checks, in a business machine, like an encoder, proof machine, or a sorter, is that it is difficult to pocket the documents without malfunctions. A large portion of the problems with processing checks is due to the fact that any one batch of checks to be processed can vary in size from 21/2 to 41/2 inches in height to about 41/2 to 9 inches in length. In addition, many of the checks are wrinkled and "dog eared" prior to being processed.
The pocketing malfunctions may include the following:
1. The leading edge of a document being fed into a pocket may "crash" into the trailing edge of a document already in the pocket;
2. "Fanning out" of the trailing edges of documents already in the pocket may prevent an incoming document from being pocketed; and
3. Due to the "fanning out" mentioned, documents may be inserted out of sequence in the pocket.
A document guide mechanism described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,640,505, which is assigned to the same assignee as is this application, minimized the malfunctions mentioned in the previous paragraph. One of the problems with the guide mechanism disclosed in the named patent was that the first few documents entering an empty pocket created a "chatter" which was noisy and disturbing to persons operating the associated machine. After about a half dozen documents entered a previously empty pocket, the chatter or noise abated.